When I first started teaching in adult education, the school was owned by wonderful people. I felt like I was getting paid to show up play, and do my hobby, I loved it. The owners took excellent care of the staff and faculty. If you showed up to work, presented yourself as a good role model to your students, and did what was asked of you, sometimes a little more, it was an awesome place to work. I have a very dedicated following of students, nearly all of my student instructor evaluations are outstanding. Was there some rough times, yes, but I always felt that I had the backing of the school. The atmosphere at the school was very positive and happy, the owners made sure of that. We, as a school were well beyond the 11:1 ratio. The unhappy people never seemed to last very long, they always left. That was before the school was bought by a corporation. Now it seems that everyone is not very happy any more, maybe I'm just projecting my own feelings onto others, that is very possible. But it seems to me that if you are striving to have happy students, the first place to start is having happy instructors. An organization's face to the students is its instructors. Having happy instructors is not accomplished through lectures, memos or courses, it reminds me of an old saying, "The beatings will continue until moral improves." Having happy instructors is accomplished through mutual respect between the corporate personnel and the school staff. We as instructors are supposed to look at our students as individuals, get to know them, should not the corporate staff do the same with the instructors? When I told the former owners that I was going back to school full time myself, all they asked was "how can we help." If I needed time off to go take an exam or study, as long as it didn't interfere with classes (which I made sure it never did) the school director never had a problem with it, there was no paperwork involved, we just did it. If I needed to do something after hours for the school (which I frequently did,) I just did it, there was no "keeping score." I know that a school has to make money to stay open, there is no question about that. But sometimes now, I wonder what is more important to the school, the students, or the money? Back in the eighties legislation had to be passed in California to keep vocational schools from robing the students blind. Those laws have now sunset and have not been addressed by the legislature yet. I hope as a school and an industry that we are not heading back into that dark tunnel of greed and abandonment, having Wall Street and Corporate America there is bad enough. And just in case no one has noticed, that path always leads to a downfall and ultimate destruction. Generally speaking the good instructors that I know really don't want that much, a good enough wage to support their families, and a little respect from the people that they work for, and that keeps them happy.
I just read a similar article in a magazine recently; it emphasized the power that "positive thinking" can have on a person. The article talked specifically about sticking to an exercise program...instead of saying "I have to work out today", one should say "I GET to work out today". Reframing a task in a more positive manner will create more pleasurable associations, and will make a person feel as though he/she has more of a choice in the matter. This can be applied to just about anything! Instead of saying "I have to grade 50 essays", I could say "I want to see how my students did on this last essay..." I'll try it next time!
Tammy,
This is a great perspective on life. organizations like The Pacific Institute center their training on concepts like 'positive self talk." Taking the "I choose to" or "I get to" attitude is so much more fulfilling than taking the "I have to" attitude.
If you feel you have to be at work your attitude will effect the classes attitude.
I try to teach this to my students, especially in professional development. I ask them to list the things that they have to do, we write them on the board: pay rent, take care of kids, do homework......... Then we discuss each one individually. I remind them that they don't have to pay rent, they pay rent/mortgage because they WANT to live there. Not every parent takes care of their kids, if they are taking care of their kids it is because they love their kids and they want what is best for them. None of them HAVE to do their homework. At the beginning of class we briefly discuss why they are here. I bring it up again, you do your homework because you want a better life for your family, you want a better job, you want to move out of your mom's house.........
I agree. If I suddenly didn't have to work, I would still remain in the classroom. I am very passionate about what I do, and I truly believe that I make a difference every day when I enter my class. It's definitely a "want-to" and I think that adds to my satisfaction at the end of the day. Yes, I have to work (to pay my bills) but I love what I do and want to remain engaged with my students.
I do think of my job as a "Have To" but not in the way most people think. I have to go to work and teach my students because for most of them I am the only support system they have. My "have to" is based on concern for them and the quality of instruction they may be getting. I "have to" because no one else is going to show the care I do with my students. So in my case the "have to" is a postitive.
Carey,
Your "have to" is really a 'want to." That is a good thing.
Jeffrey Schillinger
